Elastic vehicle-tire.



BEST AVAILABLE COP- PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

I G. KNADLER.

ELASTIC VEHICLE TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1905.

BEST- AVAILABLE coP UNITED STATES soprano KNADLER, OF AKRON, OHIO.

ELASTIC VEHICLE-TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed July 31, 1905 Serial No. 272,089-- To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, GODFRED KNADLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented new anduseful Improvements in Elastic Vehicle-Tires, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in elastic tires arranged tobe mounted upon the rims of vehicle-wheels; and the object of thisinvention is to produce a strong, durable, and serviceable tirepossessed of unusual-resiliency of the general type known as solid tiresas contradistinguished from the type of tire known as pneumatic whereinthe cushioning qualities of the tire are derived from highly-compressedair within the tire-body.

The invention aims to provide an endless.

tire of the general type referred to with an approximately centrallydisposed annular opening or pocket throughout its entire body and todivide a portion of the tire circumferentially by a cut extending fromthe opening to the base portion of the tire existing throughout theentire length thereof, so that the base portion of the tire is therebyformed into two annular portions arranged to contact with each other. I

The invention contemplates the seating of a tire thus constructed insuch a manner on a rim that the two annular portions of the base of thetire will be pressed firmly against each other, and the inventionfurther aims to so form the exterior of the tire-body that it will givepeculiarly efiicient results in increasing the elasticity and resiliencythereof and also be approximately free from the dangers of being cut orworn by the edges of the rim when under compression.

fications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claimhereunto appended.

In the drawings, in which similar reference-numerals indicate like partsin the different figures, Figure 1 is a transverse section of myimproved tire mounted upon an ordinary flanged rim havingoutwardly-flaring sides. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with thetire shown as mounted upon a rim known as the clencher type, and Fig. 3is a section of Fig. 1 at the line X.

In the drawings, 1 denotes the elastic tire-' body, which is madeendless as distinguished from. those tires which are made in straightsections and subsequently wrapped about the rim on which they are seatedand with their ends abutting. This tire is further provided with anapproximately centrally-disposed a-n-' nular opening 2, extendingthroughout the tire and arranged to be formed therein when the tire isvulcanized in the mold. This tire is further provided with a cut 3,extending from the bottom of the opening 2 to the base portion of thetire and extending circumferentially through the entire length of thetire-body, so as to divide the base portion into two parts. Thetire-body,-whether it is to be mounted upon the form of rim shown inFig. 1, in which the-reference-numeral 4 denotes the rim provided withupwardly and outwardly extending side flanges 5, or whether it is to bemounted upon a rim such as is shown in Fig. 2 and indicated by thereference character 6, which shows a clencher type of rim with inturnedhooked edges, is constructed of vulcanized rubber or its equivalent ofsuch a degree of elasticity as to thoroughly cushion the wheel and yetof suflicient stiffness to be capable of sustaining itself againstcrushing or collapsing.

In forming this tire it is preferably provided with a rounded treadportion 7 and outwardly-projecting convex side portions 8, the portions7 and 8 being united by concave portions 9, and below the convexportions 8 the tire is inwardly converged upon concavelines toconstitutethe portions 10.

The tire is so constructed that the rim on which the tire is adapted toseat will engage it below the concave portions '10. If the tire is to bemounted upon a. rim of the type shown in Fig. 1, the sides of the tirewill be inwardly inclined upon approximately straight lines to nicelyfit in the flanged rim 4; but if the tire is to be mounted upon a rim ofthe type shown in Fig. 2 the base portion will be provided withoutwardly-extending annular members 11, over which the inturned sideedges of the rim can engage, and therebyconstitute the retaining meansfor the tire. In using a tire upon a rim of the form shown in Fig. 1 aseries of bolts or retaining means 12 are passed at intervals throughboth of flanges 5 and through the base porti tire 1, thereby securelyanchoring it in position.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that pressure exertedupon the tread portion 7 of the tire will tend to flatten the roundedtread portion 7 and cause the concave portions 9 to expand outwardly tonearly approximatelystraight lines. liurthermore, the pressure exertedupon the tread portion 7 will tend to compress the material existingaround the opening 2 and cause the opening to assume a shape more nearlyresembling a true circle, and if this pressure is excessive it will tendin acertain degree to separate those portions of the tire existing alongthe cut 3, especially near the outer or upper portion of this cut,thereby giving additional resiliency to the tire. It will be furtherapparent that the existence of the concave portions 10 immediately abovethe edge of the rim on which the tire is mounted will permit the convexportions 8 to'be compressed downwardly against the edges of the rim, andby reason of the existing concave portions 10 and the rounded shape ofthe edges of the rim the tire-body will be effectually insured againstbeing chafed or cut by contact with the rim on which it is mounted.

It will be obvious that this invention provides a strong, serviceable,and exceedinglydurable tire possessed of high resiliency and BEST Av ggeie COP radial with the wheel on which the tire is mounted, and furtherprovided with a cut extending from said opening to the base portion ofthe tire circumferentially throughout the entire tire-body, the baseportion of said tire being so formed as to fill and be compressed by therim in which said tire is mounted whereby the edges of the base. portionalong a said out are maintained in constant contact excepting under theinfluence of excessive pressure applied to said tire, said tire-bodybeing further provided with a convex tread and side portions united byconcave lines and concave port ons extending from the lateral convexportions to the base portion of the tire,

In testimony whereof Lhave hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

' GODFRED KNADLER. Witnesses:

GLENARA Fox, (J. E. HUMPHREY.

